Add part-time teacher for English-learner students
A draft cooperative spring sports sharing agreement between Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS), Mountain Lake Christian (MLC) and Comfrey Public School (CPS) was reviewed and discussed by the MLPS School Board at its Tuesday, January 17 meeting. This agreement could affect athletes in grades 7-12 for Boys Baseball, Girls Softball, Boys Golf and Girls Golf for spring 2017. MLPS and MLC currently are paired in those sports programs.
The boards from both MLC and CPS are also in the process of analyzing the agreement.
The MLPS School Board will wait to hear back from the discussion sessions held by the two schools before moving ahead.
Jean Haberman on staff as part-time teacher for English-language learners
Board members also hired Jean Haberman, former media teacher as a part-time teacher for English-language learner students.
In recent weeks, five new-to-this-country non-English-speaking students have enrolled in the school.
Haberman will begin her duties as needed. It is expected that she will be needed for approximately two-to-four hours per day. The school district has a duty to provide these services, and do receive funds for this, however the 2016-2017 ELL funds have already been allocated.
In other business
+ Heard from MLPS Board Chair Chad Pedersen during a discussion about the group’s monthly meeting schedule. At an earlier meeting, Pedersen had raised the idea of changing the traditional monthly meeting date, as it falls on the same day as meetings of the Mountain Lake City Council. At this meeting, he brought forward adding a second board meeting to each month. This special meeting would be in addition to the regular monthly meeting, and would be centered around one or two topics or reports. Continued discussion on this idea will follow at a joint school board/Building Committee meeting.
+ Discussed policy concerning placing an item on a meeting agenda.
+ Learned that Chair Pedersen has reappointed Director Tim Swoboda to the Building Committee, and reappointed Treasurer Pam Hoek as recorder for that committee. Pedersen also named Hoek to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), along with Activities Director Luke Winger.
+ Approved donations:
- United Prairie Bank, $50 for performance at the Mountain Lake Branch.
- Remick Foundation, $250 for Mountain Lake Public High School Class of 2017 trip to Chanhassen.
+ Approved three Remick Grant requests:
- 7/8 Grade Science Trip – The science (Jaime Banks) and social studies (Jessica Svehla) would like to provide this educational experience for the school’s seventh- and eighth-graders, totaling 80 students. This experience would include visiting the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Minnesota State Capitol and The James J. Hill House. The Science Museum portion would include both life and earth sciences exhibits, including an omnitheater showing of A Beautiful Planet. There will be guided work for the students to complete, as well as a time to explore. The formation of this country’ government is studied in seventh- and eighth-grade. A visit to the Minnesota State Capitol would provide the opportunity to actively view the places where laws are passed, a major component of standards for each of the grades. They would also get the opportunity to view the building’s art work and hear about Minnesota history. This is a topic studied in sixth-grade, however because of renovations, these students were unable to view the state capitol at that time. The James J. Hill House ties into state social standards about business in the 1800’s and 1900’s, and how the United States became a major business power. The railroad, and James J. Hill, are directly related to this topic. The total grant request is for $1,802; $560 admission to the Science Museum and Omnitheater, $762 for transportation and $480 admission to The James J. Hill House.
- Invention Project – Invention Project is a four-day summertime experience that balances STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) content and entrepreneurial concepts. During those four days, students from grades 5-8 work through 12 sessions related to the invention cycle. This grant would provide curriculum for 50 students. The curriculum is published by the National Inventors Hall of Fame and delivered to the students by licensed teachers. Participants explore possibilities through dreaming, designing, engineering and marking. They will also be challenged to create their own invention while learning the principles of business such as rapid prototyping, marketing, shipping and profit. The end goal is to stimulate interest in STEM among junior high students by providing experiences not in the regular classroom. In addition to the 12 invention cycle sessions, two additional components, Move and Hangout, will also e used. Move consists of games with a purpose related to creativity. Hangout is activities for small groups at the beginning and end of each day. These components foster relationship building among the students and encourage physical activity for a health lifestyle. The normal cost of the program ($230/student) is beyond many of the school district’s families. It will be requested that each student pay a $30 registration fee. As well, the school’s lunch program offers free breakfast and lunch in the summer. These free meals will be incorporated into the Invention Project day. This will led by Mountain Lake Public High School Principal Michelle Larson, with the sessions taught by three licensed teachers from the school district who are highly qualified in Science or upper elementary grade levels. Three high school or college student assistants will also help with the project. The total grant request is for $10,100. These funds will be used to purchase the curriculum ($7,500 for 12 sessions and $1,250 for Move and Hangout), create promotion material ($100) and pay stipends for the director ($500) and assistants ($600). Registration money will be used to pay the stipend for teachers ($1,500).
- Senior Class of 2017 Trip – The Mountain Lake Public High School Class of 2017 would like to experience dinner and a performance of Grease at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre in Chanhassen as part of a Senior Trip. As many students of the district come from low-income families, this event would provide a unique time of eating a formal meal and seeing a live stage performance. It would additionally provide a bonding experience for the 40 seniors and three chaperones (the Senior Class Advisors Kim Syverson, Brenda Feil and Shawn Naas), and provide a special memory. The evaluation of this project will be one-on-one and group discussions with the seniors. Because the focus of the project is the experience, no formal academic evaluation will be included. The request is for $3,500; $2,800 for the Chanhassen tickets and $700 for transportation.
+ Tabled the hiring of spring sports coaches until the Monday, February 21 regular monthly board meeting.
+ Hired Amy Hartzler as a Science Fair Advisor.
+ Approved open enrollment applications; one student into the district and three students out-of-the district.
+ Approved the seniority list for certified teachers.
+ Approved the seniority list for non-certified employees.
+ Heard committee reports:
- Meet and Confer – A Meet-and-Confer meeting was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, January 14, however Mountain Lake Education Association (MLEA) President Scott Boelke stated there were no issues to discuss, and the meeting was cancelled. Future proposed meetings are for Monday, April 17 and Monday, July 17.
- Minnesota School Boards Association Conference – Board members attending the conference, held January 10-13 in Minneapolis provided personal summaries.
- Achievement and Integration Plan and Meeting – The 2016-2017 school year is the final year of the current three-year Integration Plan. The plan’s end date is June 30. The current plan provided the district with interventionists who assist targeted students to improve academic achievement. Additionally, a summer incentive plan was created. A new plan is now being develooped.
- Pairing Committee – Committee members held a Monday, December 5, 2016 meeting with Comfrey Public School and Mountain Lake Christian concerning pairing possibilities.
- Building Committee – Committee members met on Monday, December 12, 2016 along with the MLPS School Board. The committee (Chair Tim Swoboda and Vice-Chair Tom Appel, along with Cheri Hanson, Jerry Haberman, Bruce Swanson, Bryan Bargen, Vern Peterson, Shawn Naas and John Carrison) will be meeting yet this January in a joint meeting with the MLPS School Board, architect Paul Youngquist of Architects Rego + Younquist and the school’s financial advisor, Mike Hoheisel of the Baird Financial Group.
+ MLPS Superintendent Bill Strom’s weekly review from the past month:
- Pool Closing Procedures/Miscellaneous – Superintendent Strom reported he has had conversations with Buildings and Grounds/Maintenance Supervisor John Carrison and Swimming Pool Coordinator/Custodian Sandy Melheim about how to proceed with closing the pool. Melheim’s duties as pool custodian ended on Tuesday, January 17, however, she will continue as pool coordinator until disbursement of the remaining pool equipment is complete. She will also compile student records. Strom noted that school board action is required to discontinue Melheim’s positions as part-time custodian and pool coordinator.
- Swimming Pool Reimbursements – Strom stated that he will review each request for reimbursement of unused swimming ppol vouchers and tickets and reimburse as needed.
- Swimming Pool Water and Chlorine – Strom reported that Carrison is having the school’s environmental consultant, Musser Environmental, test the chlorine levels in the swimming pool water and determine if it is safe to drain. The pool water must not create an environmental hazard when drained. Most of the water will end up in Mountain Lake. If the chlorine levels are too high, the water will need to be treated to reduce the chlorine to an environmentally-safe level. The pool will be drained in the next two weeks.
- Swimming Lessons – Strom noted that he had heard from Al Baloun, Windom Parks and Recreation Director, who discussed swimming lessons and the needs of MLPS students.
- Building Work Projects – Strom needed that Carrison and his crew completed a list of building work projects over Christmas break, and have a number of repair projects on tap for the next several weeks.
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Elementary/High School Principal Meetings – Strom discussed new students, achievement and integration plan, student discipline matters, progress of teachers, need for baseball and softball coaches for spring 2017, school calendar for 2017-2018, employee requests, need for additional staff, communication, coaches, special education and school closings with Elementary Principal Karl Wassman and High School Principal Michelle Larson.
